The Latest on Week 9 in the NFL (all times EST):___3:09 p.m.The Miami Dolphins have five assistant coaches who are not available today because of COVID-19 protocols.They are defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, quarterbacks coach Robby Brown, outside linebackers coach Austin Clark, defensive line coach Marion Hobby and quality control coach Kolby Smith.___3 p.m.The Tennessee Titans already lost left tackle Taylor Lewan for the season, and now they are without left guard Rodger Saffold.Saffold left with a shoulder injury with 7:08 left in the second quarter on a 3-yard run by D’Onta Foreman.Saffold was able to walk to the sideline on his own straight to the medical tent. He walked into the locker room as the Titans scored a touchdown with 4:39 left. He was replaced by Jamil Douglas.The Titans led Chicago 10-0 at halftime. But the Bears sacked Ryan Tannehill three times by halftime. Tennessee came in tied for third fewest sacks allowed in the NFL with only nine.–Teresa M. Walker reporting from Nashville, Tennessee.___2:40 p.m.Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo tied a franchise record by making a 59-yard field goal at the end of the first half against Houston.Lambo drilled the kick between the uprights and celebrated wildly with teammates at midfield. Houston leads 20-16 at the break.Josh Scobee held the team record since 2010, when he hit a 59-yarder to beat Indianapolis in Jacksonville.—Mark Long reporting from Jacksonville.___2:07 p.m.Already down three linebackers to start the game, the Houston Texans lost another one in the first quarter against Jacksonville.Brennan Scarlett left with an arm injury. He walked into the tunnel on Jacksonville’s side of the field, an indication he was getting an X-ray because the room is on that side of the stadium.Houston travelled without linebackers Whitney Mercilus, Jacob Martin and Dylan Cole because of COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.Two other Houston players left the game in the first half: running back David Johnson and guard Senio Kelemete were being evaluated for concussions. Johnson was hit hard by Myles Jack while trying to make a catch in the flat.Jaguars rookie receiver Laviska Shenault left with a hamstring injury.___1:55 p.m.Washington is turning to Alex Smith at quarterback again after Kyle Allen left the game against the New York Giants with a left leg injury.Allen was sacked late in the first quarterback by New York’s Jabrill Peppers, who was penalized for the late hit. Allen’s left leg bent the wrong way, he was carted off and waved to the crowd of just over 3,000 in attendance.Smith entered the game with Washington driving, down 10-0.Smith last month saw his first game action since November 2018 when Allen was injured against the Los Angeles Rams. Smith hadn’t played since breaking his right tibia and fibula two years ago, an injury that necessitated 17 surgeries to repair. Smith was 9 of 17 for 37 yards in that game.___1:50 p.m.Panthers coach Matt Rhule is up to his old tricks in Kansas City.One week after converting on fourth down with a faked punt, the Panthers pulled off the same trick against the Chiefs on Sunday. It was a direct snap to safety Jeremy Chinn that worked so well against the Falcons, but it was a 28-yard pass from punter Joseph Charlton to wide receiver Brandon Zylstra that caught Kansas City napping.The Panthers scored three plays later to take a 14-3 lead at Arrowhead Stadium.The Chiefs probably should have been prepared. Not only did the Panthers fake a punt a week ago, so did Kansas City — punter Tommy Townsend threw a pass to Byron Pringle to convert on fourth down against the Jets.___1:40 p.m.Carolina coach Matt Rhule sure isn’t worried about overworking Christian McCaffrey in his return from an ankle injury.The All-Pro running back, who had missed the past six games, carried four times for 18 yards and caught a pair of passes on the Panthers’ opening drive in Kansas City. That included the nine-yard touchdown reception on fourth down that capped a 15-play drive that gobbled up nearly nine minutes.Teddy Bridgewater was 8 of 10 for 45 yards on the drive. Carolina twice converted on third down and got a pair of first downs thanks to penalties on the Chiefs’ Chris Jones and Charvarius Ward.–Dave Skretta reporting from Kansas City.___1:35 p.m.Baltimore’s defence started the game without two key players, cornerback Marlon Humphrey and linebacker L.J. Fort, and it took another big hit when five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell was injured on the third play of the game at Indianapolis.Campbell walked slowly and awkwardly to the sideline with what the Ravens called a left calf injury. His return was questionable but Campbell did not come out for Indy’s second offensive series.In Atlanta, Broncos tight end Noah Fant has returned to action after leaving with a right ankle injury. Fant suffered a high right ankle sprain last month.___1:20 p.m.The second pass of Jake Luton’s NFL career went for a touchdown.The Jacksonville Jaguars rookie from Oregon State, making his pro debut in place of Gardner Minshew (thumb), dropped a 73-yard dime to DJ Chark on third down and 8.It was exactly what the Jaguars were hoping for when they inserted Luton into the lineup following a bye week. They raved about his arm strength and deep-ball accuracy, believing he would be an instant boost for a receiving corps that features Chark, Chris Conley and rookie Laviska Shenault.—Mark Long reporting from Jacksonville.___1:05 p.m.Eleven NFL teams entered Week 9 with two or fewer losses. That’s the most since 1996 when a dozen teams had two or fewer losses through eight weeks.Three of today’s games feature two teams with one or two losses.They are:Seattle (6-1) at Buffalo (6-2)Baltimore (5-2) at Indianapolis (5-2)and New Orleans (5-2) at Tampa Bay (6-2)This marks just the fifth week since the 1970 merger that there are at least three games between teams with two or fewer losses in Week 9 or later.That last time that happened was in 1999.–Arnie Stapleton reporting from Denver.___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFLThe Associated Press
OTTAWA – The parliamentary budget officer says the federal government likely failed to keep its deficit below its promised $40 billion cap in the last fiscal year.
However the PBO also projects in its latest economic and fiscal outlook today that weak economic growth this year will begin to rebound in 2025.
The budget watchdog estimates in its report that the federal government posted a $46.8 billion deficit for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland pledged a year ago to keep the deficit capped at $40 billion and in her spring budget said the deficit for 2023-24 stayed in line with that promise.
The final tally of the last year’s deficit will be confirmed when the government publishes its annual public accounts report this fall.
The PBO says economic growth will remain tepid this year but will rebound in 2025 as the Bank of Canada’s interest rate cuts stimulate spending and business investment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says the level of food insecurity increased in 2022 as inflation hit peak levels.
In a report using data from the Canadian community health survey, the agency says 15.6 per cent of households experienced some level of food insecurity in 2022 after being relatively stable from 2017 to 2021.
The reading was up from 9.6 per cent in 2017 and 11.6 per cent in 2018.
Statistics Canada says the prevalence of household food insecurity was slightly lower and stable during the pandemic years as it fell to 8.5 per cent in the fall of 2020 and 9.1 per cent in 2021.
In addition to an increase in the prevalence of food insecurity in 2022, the agency says there was an increase in the severity as more households reported moderate or severe food insecurity.
It also noted an increase in the number of Canadians living in moderately or severely food insecure households was also seen in the Canadian income survey data collected in the first half of 2023.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct 16, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales in August fell to their lowest level since January 2022 as sales in the primary metal and petroleum and coal product subsectors fell.
The agency says manufacturing sales fell 1.3 per cent to $69.4 billion in August, after rising 1.1 per cent in July.
The drop came as sales in the primary metal subsector dropped 6.4 per cent to $5.3 billion in August, on lower prices and lower volumes.
Sales in the petroleum and coal product subsector fell 3.7 per cent to $7.8 billion in August on lower prices.
Meanwhile, sales of aerospace products and parts rose 7.3 per cent to $2.7 billion in August and wood product sales increased 3.8 per cent to $3.1 billion.
Overall manufacturing sales in constant dollars fell 0.8 per cent in August.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
